1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for cooling a vehicle engine and for providing air conditioning to the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus for cooling a vehicle engine and also providing air conditioning to the vehicle are well known in the prior art. A typical apparatus includes a radiator mounted at the front of the vehicle and connected to the engine to cool the liquid coolant with the air flow created by the combined effect of the forward motion of the vehicle and an engine-mounted radiator fan. In the typical air conditioning systems, there is included a refrigerant condenser which is mounted in front of the engine radiator and provides condensing of the refrigerant as a result of the air flow over the condenser. A purpose of many of the prior art devices has been to provide efficient and substantial air flow over the condenser and radiator in order to provide the required cooling. This is a particular problem under engine idling and high vehicle load conditions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,644, issued to Grenier on Feb. 27, 1962, there is disclosed an automobile air conditioner condenser. The Grenier condenser is generally U-shaped and is mounted about the periphery of an engine driven radiator fan. The radiator fan draws air axially through the radiator, and also provides a radially outward air flow which passes over the condenser. Another method and apparatus for air conditioning a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,765, issued to Jentet on Nov. 22, 1966. The Jentet apparatus includes screens mounted on opposite sides of the engine and condenser to cause recirculation of the air flow back to the front of the condenser. In one embodiment of the Jentet device, a typical engine-mounted fan is utilized to provide the air flow, the fan being located behind the liquid-coolant radiator and the condenser. In an alternate embodiment the fan is mounted to an air-cooled engine between the condenser and the cylinder heads.
Some alternate configurations for a cooling system are also disclosed in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,316, issued to Wright on Nov. 19, 1968, there is disclosed a cooling system in which the condenser comprises two condenser units located behind the radiator and spaced apart to expose a substantial portion of the radiator to the engine-mounted fan. A more elaborate system including a separate pre-cooling unit and fan is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,762, issued to Anglin et al. on Sept. 21, 1971. The pre-cooler is horizontally mounted between the vertical, spaced apart condenser and radiator, and a separate fan is mounted above the pre-cooler to force air downwardly through the pre-cooler and below the level of the condenser and radiator. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,499, issued to Bentz et al. on Aug. 31, 1965, there is disclosed a cooling arrangement for a supercharged engine. The Bentz et al. apparatus includes a usual radiator and also an intercooler which provides the cooled air to the engine intake manifold. Located between the radiator and the intercooler is a fan which is driven through mechanical linkage with the engine crankshaft.
The majority of the prior art devices include the described arrangement in which the condenser is mounted in front of the radiator, and the engine-mounted radiator fan is used to draw air through both of the units. Examples of this prior art are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,761,293, issued to Eubank on Sept. 4, 1956; and 1,072,894, issued to Worthington on Sept. 9, 1913. Comparable devices which also include an auxiliary fan mounted in front of the condenser are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,138,857, issued to Dankowski on Feb. 13, 1979; and 3,844,130, issued to Wahnish on Oct. 29, 1974.